ASSYRIAN MONUMENTS. 79 



an extra precaution against all other evil spirits, of 

 which the Assyrians were safe to have had a whole 

 dictionary full, holy water is sprinkled about. 



The composition appears to have a spiritual meaning 

 connected with desire for protection of their date crop 

 — their ' key of life.' 



It is not unlike those we see in Christian churches, 

 representing the performance of a miracle by some 

 saint, or some religious ceremony. It tells a story. 



In all interpretations of this kind we should, I think, 

 keep in mind not only the probable meaning of the 

 hieroglyphic before us, but also the traditions of art 

 of those days, which bound the artist to certain modes 

 of execution. 



For instance, in this bas-relief the artist put two 

 kings. There certainly were not two kings at one time. 



The traditions of his art necessitated that there 

 should be symmetry in a composition, and for this 

 reason, and probably to show both sides of the figure, 

 the artist splits it into two halves, and puts one on 

 each side. 



Again, Count d'Alviella finds further support to the 

 fertilization theory in the figure on p. 179 of his work, 

 which I reproduce in fig. 34. 



In this Dr. Tylor sees the crown of leaves of a 

 date tree, with the two genii preparing to perform the 

 act of fertilization. 



